Latin jazz great Eddie Palmieri has earned nine Grammys, and is still performing at age 73. He and his wife, Iraida Palmieri, also 73, have lived in the same apartment building in Forest Hills for more than a decade.
Living one floor below is Rafael Cartagena, whose 81-year-old wife, Maria, is charged with attempted murder after allegedly trying to shoot Mrs. Palmieri in the elevator.
Iraida Palmieri was already in the elevator, and when the doors opened on the 4th floor, she says that Cartagena was outside. She says Cartagena fired a bullet at her head, grazing her head and leaving a bullet hole in the elevator.
The suspect's husband claims Iraida Palmieri had a pair of scissors on the elevator and threatened his wife.
"She felt threatened from that lady there, standing on the elevator saying, 'come in, come in, come in,' with scissors in her hand," Rafael said.
Cartagena says he's made numerous complaints against the Palmieris for noise.
"They were determined to make us move out of the apartment, because they don't like us," he said.
Eddie Palmieri released the following statement:
"I am solely focused on the well-being and safety of my wife, who is resting comfortably after this unprovoked attack. It is deeply saddening to hear the allegations posed in defense of this criminal act."
Neighbors in the building are still in shock.
"70 and 80, I mean, you don't expect to be that tempered, to have that kind of reaction," neighbor Andreas Brandl said. "You can settle it – just talk to each other."
For now, Palmieri is still trying to recover. She was treated and released from Jamaica Hospital.
If convicted of attempted murder, Cartagena faces up to 15 years in prison. She was released from Riker's Island Thursday on bail.
David Mikael Taclino
Inyu Web Development and Design
Creative Writer
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